Carbon black is used as a filler within vulcanizable rubber compositions of matter that are used to make tire components and other rubber articles. The degree of carbon black dispersion within these compositions ultimately impacts the properties of the tire or other rubber articles. For example, higher dispersion results in increased abrasion resistance.
Carbon black is typically added to these rubber compositions during compounding, which is a process that includes mixing of rubber, filler, and other compound components. During mixing, processing aids have been added to improve the degree of carbon black dispersion.
Despite the use of these conventional processing aides, further improvement in carbon black dispersion is desired. This is especially true where a large volume of rubber is compounded within a large-scale mixing apparatus.